Kidambi Srikanth Falls Short in US Open Final, but Sees Positive Signs Ahead
Kidambi Srikanth came very close to breaking a long title drought at the US Open Super 300 badminton tournament in Fullerton, California, before finishing as the runner-up on Sunday. This was his first final of the BWF World Tour this season, and the 33-year-old showed his experience and skill against Chinese Taipei’s Su Li-yang.
In a match that lasted over an hour, Srikanth made a strong comeback after losing the first game but ultimately lost the hard-fought battle with scores of 15-21, 21-16, and 9-21. Despite facing a younger and speedy opponent, he held his own for much of the contest.
Srikanth had expended a lot of energy in his semi-final against Japan’s Yudai Okimoto, where he also fought hard to reach the final. He struggled initially after trailing 2-7 but rallied back with powerful smashes to pull ahead at the first break. However, Su Li-yang adapted quickly, taking the first game with clever tactics.
The turning point for Srikanth came during the final interval. Exhausted and visibly sweating, his request to change shirts was denied by the umpire, which seemed to shake his focus. He found it tough to keep up with Su Li-yang’s aggressive style in the deciding game, managing only two more points as Su finished strong to claim his first World Tour title.
Despite the disappointment, Srikanth chose to focus on the positives. “I feel like I played okay,” he said after the match. “I could have done better in the first game, and in the last part of the third game, he just stepped it up. I believe I’m on the right track and just need to keep working hard.”
While Srikanth’s ranking has slipped over the years, leading to younger players like Ayush Shetty and Lakshya Sen representing India in the upcoming Asian Games, he is determined to prove he still has what it takes. His performance in California shows that his competitive spirit remains alive, leaving him with the confidence that he can still compete at a high level.
